Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Grandpa looks at the pictures in front of him, scratching his bald head and removing his glasses. “How many are there?”
“Hundreds.” Grandma indicates the endless piles. “Are we putting them in an album?”
“Kids don’t have albums these days.” Grandpa points to an iPhone on the table. “They have camera rolls.”
I smile and follow Clark and Rachel. I know immediately when Rach gives me a smile loaded with sympathy she can’t hide that Clark’s told her. “You know,” I whisper when she pulls me in for a hug.
“We’re here for you.” I’m squeezed tightly. “What on earth’s happened?”
“I’ll come back to you on that one.” I kiss her cheek and go find Mum. “Hey,” I say, hugging her from behind where she’s standing at the sink in an apron and some rubber gloves.
She stills for a moment, laughing lightly, before forcing me to release her when she turns. She takes me in from top to toe, and it takes everything in me and more to stop my lip wobbling.
“What’s happened?” she asks quietly, removing her rubber gloves.
“Nothing’s happened.”
“Oh, please, Amelia. Are you forgetting who you’re talking to?” She takes my hand and leads me to the laundry room. “Explain what these are.”
A massive bunch of peonies is sitting on the worktop over the dryer. “Did he come to the florist again?” I ask.
“He looked terrible,” she whispers. “What’s happened?”
“I’m not seeing him anymore.”
“But why?” she cries. “We had a lovely weekend with you both, Amelia. You and Jude, you just looked so happy together, and your father hasn’t shut up about him since!”
Everything inside wilts. Isn’t it just typical that my father would change the habit of a lifetime now? “It didn’t work out,” I say, approaching the flowers.
“There’s no card. I removed it.”
“Why?”
“Well, I didn’t want your father reading it.”
“Why?”
“Well, in case this is a storm in a teacup.”
“In case I work it out with him?”
Mum pouts. “Will you?”
I laugh, and there’s an edge of sarcasm. “No, Mum, trust me. We won’t be working it out.” But he’s the father of your impending grandbaby, so I can’t tell you why and make you hate him as much as I do. “He shouldn’t have come to the florist.” That’s tactical.
Mum pulls the card from the pocket of her apron and hands it over, her lips pursed. “He sounded terribly sorry for whatever’s happened.” The questions swirl in her eyes.
“Mum,” I breathe, taking her hand. “Please, let’s forget about him.”
“But, my darling, I saw a sparkle in your eyes I’ve never seen before.” She comes closer. “That’s got to mean something. And he was so handsome and charming and refined.”
And a liar and a cheat and a vengeful, immoral bastard.
“It’s over,” I reiterate, the words fighting past the lump in my throat. Any contact I must have with him going forward will be transactional. “And, honestly, I’m fine, so please stop worrying.” Save your worry for when I drop the baby bomb. “I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”
I go back into the kitchen and check the pot on the stove, lifting the lid. “Mm,” I hum when the steam rises and a waft of rich gravy hits my nose. “Casserole?”
“Beef.”
“Amelia,” Dad sings, coming in from the garden. “Did you see the flowers Jude sent for you?”
“Yeah, Dad. I saw them.”
He looks around. “Where is he?”
Oh my God. I look at Mum, who shifts, awkward, her eyes begging me not to tell him. “Jude and I split up,” I say, aiming for assertive, but I know I sound as defeated as I feel. Mum deflates, and I give her sorry eyes. There’s no point delaying the inevitable.
“What?” Confusion invades every inch of Dad’s face.
“It didn’t work out.”
“Didn’t work out? How ridiculous. We spent most of the weekend with you both. I’ve never seen you smile so much. And . . . and . . . and I like him!”
Guilt flares, for a reason I never imagined. “I know you did, Dad. I’m sorry.” This is bizarre. And fucking painful.
“This doesn’t make any sense.” Dad looks between us, wounded as he drops to a chair. “I don’t mean to be judgy, darling, but what are you thinking?”
Judgy. We’ll see how judgy he gets when I tell him he’s going to be a granddad and I’m not with the baby’s father.
“He loves you.”
“He doesn’t love me, Dad,” I assure him. I was just a pawn to him, and suddenly everything we shared is null and void. Meaningless. He wanted me to fall in love with him, and I did. Job done. I’m not going back so Jude Harrison can prolong Nick’s punishment. “I need some air,” I say, leaving them in the kitchen whispering angrily to each other, and heading out the front. I sit on a wall and take a moment to myself, trying not to fall victim to my memories again. Impossible.